Hair Hurling Balls - Earliest Artefacts of our National Game

The GAA Museum's most recent temporary exhibition, ‘Hair Hurling Balls – Earliest Artefacts of our National Game’ was on display from July 2014 - June 2015. It featured 14 hair hurling balls on display as part of the exhibition which was researched and developed by the National Museum of Ireland and previously hosted at the Museum of Country Life in Castlebar, County Mayo.

The balls are made from matted cow hair with a plaited horsehair covering and all found in bogs during the handcutting of turf. The balls have been dated with the oldest dated to c.1192 - making it over 800 years old.

The interactive exhibition invited visitors to uncover stories of the history of the hair hurling balls: where they were found, how they were made and their ages. The exhibition also explored the science behind our knowledge. Visitors could see how these earliest objects of our national game compared with those of today and learn more about their folklore.